Commentary: Richard Sherman returning to Seahawks intriguing, but it probably shouldn’t happen

There’s the tip, the picks and his meteoric rise to the best in the league at his position.

There’s also the sideline blowups, insubordination and the threatening of a reporter’s career.

There’s the pick-six he had to tie the game against Houston in 2013, the season the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl.

There’s also the interception in practice he had on Russell Wilson, after which he reportedly told the quarterback “you (expletive) suck.”

Future Hall of Fame cornerback Richard Sherman is a Seattle legend who will never have to buy his own drink in this town. He can be one of the most engaging, respectful athletes in the country, as multiple awards from the media for his cooperation indicate.

But I wonder if it’s best that the talk about his coming back to the Seahawks remains just talk. I’m not sure the reward is as large as the risk.

After Seattle lost starters Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar to free agency this offseason, cornerback suddenly became its most tenuous position. This sparked speculation that the greatest CB in franchise history might return to the 206.

Neither the Seahawks nor Sherman, 33, ruled out the potential reunion – although the team announcing it would move re-signed safety Damarious Randall to corner makes the homecoming seem less likely.

Still, you never rule anything out with the Seahawks. The question is: Would bringing him back be such a good idea?

One thing we’re sure about is that quarterback Russell Wilson’s feelings toward the Seahawks are subdued at the moment. He has openly bashed the front office’s inability to protect him on the field, and was cool with his agent leaking desirable trade destinations. And though Wilson doesn’t seem the type who would ever quit on his team or hold out out of spite, could bringing Sherman back increase his frustration?

You’ll remember that ESPN article from 2017, when Sherman flung the aforementioned expletive toward Wilson and then reportedly continued to curse and scream. Sherman later admitted to doing so out of a spirit of competition, and in a news conference in 2018, when he was a 49er getting set to play the Seahawks, he said he didn’t have a relationship with Wilson.

Then, when asked about Wilson’s capabilities on offense, he responded: “I’ve also seen him throw five picks in a game, so you see what he’s capable of on both sides of it.”

To be fair, Wilson and Sherman did exchange jerseys after the Seahawks squeaked by the 49ers in November 2019, seemingly squashing rumors of any beef. Still, it never sounded like the strongest of bonds.

That seemed true of Sherman’s relationship with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, too. In December 2016, Sherman exploded on the coaching staff after Wilson attempted to complete a pass to tight end Jimmy Graham on first and goal from the 1 against the Rams. He would defend his response to reporters after the game, referencing the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots while saying, “We’ve already seen how that goes.” That came two months after blowing up on the sideline after a defensive miscommunication in a game against the Falcons.

Again, to be fair, the following season seemed less tumultuous. It ended early for Sherman as he tore his Achilles, but the drama that surrounded 2016 had waned.

But does that mean it wouldn’t return upon Sherman’s return? Perhaps that’s an irrelevant question given the Seahawks announcing that Randall will play cornerback. But this is also the team that brought Marshawn Lynch back at the end of the 2019 season.

Anything is possible with the Seahawks. And the thought of Sherman coming back is intriguing.

Sometimes, though, it’s better if the thought doesn’t turn into an action.